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FOUR NEW COACHES IN ENLARGED DUPL M FOR 1963/64
Page 50
Page 51
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THE Astrocoach. the Commander, the Marauder and the Dual Purpose: these four new coaches form part of an enlarged range of bodies announced "today by the Duple group of companies for the 1963/4 season, while familiar models have been modified in detail. At the same time, Willowbrook metalframed service bus bodywork is now listed for the Bedford VAL and new Thames 36 chassis.
Of the new coach bodies, all but one— the 36-ft. 49-seat Dual Purpose designed for express service duties—are in the luxury touring class. Most striking in appearance is the Astrocoach, which bears a strong "Duple family" stamp but has continuous glazing from the waist to the top of the roof quarter; it has steel pillars but composite construction for the rest of the framing and is designed for the 36-ft. A.E.C. Reliance or Leyland Leopard underfloor-engined chassis. A 51-seater, the Astrocoach has top-sliding windows and three doubleopening roof vents as standard, but is available with fixed windows and full Smiths Jet-Vent system.
Also designed for A.E.C. and Leyland underfloor-engined chassis, the new Corn
mander has Jet-Vent forced ventilation as a standard fitting, used in conjunction with long-bay (8 ft.) fixed windows. It is offered in both 32 ft. and 36 ft. versions, seating 41 and 51 respectively. Structural framing is on the same lines as in the Astrocoach.
The third newcomer to the touring coach class is the Marauder built for the low-priced Thames 36 chassis revealed by the Ford Motor Co. Ltd. today. This Hendon-built 52-seater is a sister coach to the Bedford VAL-based Vega Major and is similar in layout and general appearance; more details of the Marauder are given in the article on pages 81-83 of this issue, while greater information about the entire Duple coach range for the coming season is given, with illustrations, on pages 84-103.
Existing coaches which are being continued into the new season are the 12based 19-seater, the Bella Vista, the Bella Vega and Trooper, the Firefly, the Commodore, the Vega Major and the Continental and all of these except the 19-seater can now be had with full JetVent system, .while another extractor ventilator has been added in the roof of each as a standard fitting.
Both the new and existing coach bodies will use a redesigned seat known as the G.A. 217, for which better looks and greater comfort are claimed, while low
its are now a regular option for ncreasing demand is expected. id cabinet design has been d on all bodies, a simpler rotary is fitted for the standard heating, g and ventilating equipment, and
body mouldings have been d.
xadies which have been dropped e range are the Blackpool-built ly and the Alpine Continental. vie's Hendon Show on October
21-25 the exhibits will include a Marauder, a Reliance-based Astrocoach, a Vega Major, -Trooper, Bella Vega, Bella Vista Dual-Purpose coach and a VAL-based service bus to B.E.T. specification; there will also be a Renownbased double-decker for South Wales built by Willowbrook.
The demonstration park will contain seven coaches—a Marauder among them —while service buses will include a 54seater on the Bedford VAL.